special delivery
by fcsherlockgirl
Summary: John wakes in the middle of the night, to Mary in labor. The birth of the Watson child
1. An Early Morning Trip

The time was here. John rushed to the street, opening the car door for Mary and throwing her bag inside. He started the car, and texted Sherlock.

Baby on the way. -JW

He sped through the London streets, Mary crying in pain.

"Breathe, Mary, breathe. In, out, in, out."

"John, I think I need to push."

"No no no no, don't push. What ever you do, don't push."

"John, stop the car, I need you to catch Hannah."

"Mary, I can't. We're going to the hospital. I cannot deliver this baby."

"John, you're a doctor!"

"Mary I'm... Ok ok, I'm a doctor." He pulled the car over, running to Mary. He helped her out of her bottoms. He could already see the baby crowning.

"Push."

"Damn it John, I am pushing."

"Again, falling, push, really big one, I can see her."

Mary pushed with all her might, and John reached the baby's shoulder. He gently pulled, and out she was.

"Thought that was you," a voice called behind him. Sherlock.

"Call an ambulance, please," John said. He cleared the baby's mouth, and she let out a scream.

"I need an ambulance. A woman's just had a baby," Sherlock said. "Yes, she's breathing, can't you hear her? Thank you. No, we have a doctor, I don't need to stay on the line."

"Sherlock," John said, "I need something to wrap get in."

It was then Sherlock realized John had left the house without even putting on a shirt. He pulled off his coat, still on with the ambulance, and handed it to John. John wrapped the baby.

"I need an extra pair of hands! I have to find my scissors."

"Oh... oh," Sherlock hung the phone up without a word. He took the baby, holding her work the lightest touch, and John went to the back of the car.

"Mary," Sherlock said, "she's beautiful. Mary... Mary! John!"


	2. The Sirens Call

"John!"

The unmistakable sounds of sirens filled the air. The baby was swept away from Sherlock, and suddenly, there was silence.

John stood at the nursery, waiting and watching as the grey haired doctor checked his daughter over. He couldn't help but think how wrong everything had gone. They'd done all the right things. Now, Mary was in surgery and he had yet to properly even hold his child.

Sherlock approached the front desk.

"Hannah Watson."

The clerk began to type.

"There's a password for information."

Sherlock closed his eyes. What would John use?

"Sherlock," John called. "He's fine, he's with me."

"What are you doing in the lobby?"

"Coffee, Sherlock, I needed coffee."

Sherlock nodded. John poured a cup from the pot behind the clerk and headed for the elevator.

"Mary's in surgery, and Hannah is being bathed."

"How is she?"

"Baby's fine. Great apgar score, they tell me, considering she was delivered along the side of the road. Mary... I don't know yet, Sherlock. I don't know what's going to happen."

On the maternity floor, Sherlock was given a wristband, at John's request, and they were lead to the room that would be Mary's after surgery. Hannah was brought in, and John lifted her with all the care in the world.

And then came the tears.

"I need her, Sherlock. I can't do this alone."

"You won't."

"She bled so much. I couldn't stop it, Sherlock. I can pull a bullet from a man's chest, I can stitch a wound in my sleep. But I'd give it all up if I could have just helped, somehow.." John laughed.

"John, that's ridiculous. If you gave it all up, you would be useless to me."

"Yeah, I know. But God, if I could have just stopped it faster, Sherlock."

Sherlock took the baby from John's arms, and lay her back down in the bassinet.

Long moments passed in silence. Only the news of Mary's condition would bring the need for words, and the wait seemed to stretch on. In that moment, John's world balanced on a surgery he couldn't be a part of.

A short, balding doctor came in moments later.

"She's pulled through the worst. We've had to perform a hysterectomy, but she's stabilized. She's also had a transfusion, and she may yet need another. But the outlook is hopeful."

John shook the man's hand, thanking him over and over. Mary was wheeled in, still under the anaesthesia.

Sherlock and John sat silently, waiting for Mary to wake up, when the baby began to cry.

John found the bottle the nurse had brought, and picked up his daughter.

So things are looking up for our new parents. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come!


	3. An Unexpected Gift

Greg Lestrade slapped John on the back, handing him a tiny parcel.

"Something fort the baby," he said, "from all of us at the Yard."

"Thanks," John said, "I'll, uh, I'll open it when Mary wakes."

Greg loomed in on the baby, shifted his weight from for to four, and looked at John.

"I have to be going. But congratulations."

"Thanks, really."

Sherlock followed him into the hall.

"What have you got?"

"Moriarty. Here's sent a letter to the papers."

"It's us, isn't it?"

"He sent his congratulations to John."

"Who," John asked, strong into the hall.

"Anderson. Anderson sends his best."

"Wait, why are you discussing Anderson?"

"I loathe him so much, John, you know that. Which is really something for me. I simply asked how he was doing. George here"

"Greg, Sherlock."

"Greg said he'd seen him today and he sent his best."

"This isn't about Anderson."

"No," the detective inspector said. "Moriarty."

"He-how could he know?"

"I'm not sure, but we're asking the papers not to publish his letter. We'd also appreciate if you didn't make an announcement. It might make the situation worse."

"No no," Sherlock said, "publish it. Let's give him what he wants, get him comfortable again, let him think he's special. This time I'll put the bullet in his brain for good measure."

"Sherlock, you can't say that in front of an officer."

"I'll pretend I believe it was metaphorical. But we will try it your way. And then what?"

"Then, we set the trap."

Mary's eyes fluttered open. John sat across the room, and Sherlock beside him, fingers pressed together, thinking.

"Good morning," Mary said.

"Oh good God thank you." Sherlock said.

Mary laughed. "What?"

"John had been just dismal without you. He hasn't the slightest idea how to change a diaper."

"Oh, and you do," John questioned.

"Yes. Shall I demonstrate?"

"Please," Mary said. Sherlock took the baby from the bassinet and placed her next to Mary on the bed. He unsnapped her romper, and opened a fresh diaper. He quickly opened the baby's diaper, gently lifted her legs, slid the new one in, and fastened it and the romper.

"Where did you learn that," John asked.

"I was undercover as a Nanny once and- YouTube."

"I want to know what you deleted to remember that."

"What's your name again?"

John and Mary laughed.

A nurse knocked on the door.

"Someone dropped this off for you, ma'am."

Mary smiled, and accepted the parcel from the nurse.

Inside, a tiny onsie was folded. Mary beamed. She slowly unfolded it, and her jaw dropped.

John walked to her and picked it up, and then threw it to Sherlock.

He unfolded the shirt, revealing Moriarty's face, with the words "see you soon, Hannah."


End file.
